


It's About the Everyday Things

by mizface



Category: due South
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-31
Updated: 2011-12-31
Packaged: 2017-10-28 13:15:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/pseuds/mizface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As it turned out, hanging out with Vecchio was a pretty good thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's About the Everyday Things

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This was written for ladyyueh for the 2009 Fall Fandom Free-for-all. A multitude of thanks to Sionnain for a fun and helpful beta!

To say that their partnership was awkward at first was an understatement. Sharing an ex of any kind was bad enough; to have not only a wife but a partner of the ex variety in common made things very, very uncomfortable.

Then one day Ray answered when someone shouted Vecchio’s name, forgetting for a minute that he didn’t have to do that any more. He tensed, waiting for Vecchio to rag him about it. But Vecchio just called out an answer as if nothing had happened. And when he met Ray’s eyes, there was no irritation or frustration or derision, just a flash of understanding.

Neither of them mentioned it, and after that things got better.

********

Ray noticed that Vecchio never went to any of the 2-7’s poker games. He didn’t think too much about it at first, but then he saw Vecchio turn away one time when the guys were ribbing him about missing that night’s game. It wasn’t anything too mean, but you wouldn’t know that from the stricken look Ray was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to have seen.

He sauntered over to Vecchio and slung an arm over his shoulder, buddy-like, ignoring the stiffening of Vecchio’s back. “So, what time did Ma say dinner was tonight?” Ray asked casually, like they did this all the time, even though Ray hadn’t been over there (other than to see Frannie’s kid) since Vecchio had returned.

He didn’t look, but he knew Vecchio was watching him, trying to figure him out. Ray felt Vecchio’s body relax, and he just said, “Six o’clock. You know, the time _normal_ people eat dinner?” and then Welsh came out and yelled and everybody went back to work.

He didn’t go to the house, but Vecchio did buy him a beer.

********

The day of what would have been Vecchio and Stella’s first anniversary, Ray took him out for a drink. For several drinks as it turned out. And he didn’t give Vecchio a choice, but he also didn’t press, didn’t ask, didn’t rub it in. He just knew what it was like, and figured the guy wouldn’t want to be alone.

********

One day Ray was on his way to the vending machine, hoping that maybe this time the sandwiches would be something recognizable, when Vecchio stopped him.

“Ma sent lunch for you,” he said, tilting his head in the direction of the break room. And sure enough, there were two containers in the fridge, packed full. So he heated them both up and brought them back to their desks, asking Vecchio to thank Ma.

The small smile that Vecchio gave him as he answered made Ray question just who he should be thanking, but he didn’t push it.

********

Vecchio was the only one (other than Ray’s mom) who could get away with calling Ray _Stanley_. He pretended it bothered him, but if he were being honest, he actually got a kick out of it, mostly because he could tell it wasn’t mean. It was like a verbal version of Vecchio flipping him off, but in the good way. Plus, there was something about the way he said it. Ray couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but it made it okay.

And Ray _really_ liked that it meant he’d gotten a rise out of Vecchio.

********

Ray came in to find a glasses case on his desk. It was black with just a little bit of texture, and was actually pretty cool. When he quirked an eyebrow at Vecchio, who wasn’t as good at the covert looks as he thought he was, Vecchio just shrugged.

“I figured you had that, less chance of your glasses getting broken. Which means more chances of me having a partner who can actually hit the broad side of a barn.” And he was trying to sound like that’s all it was, but Ray was pretty sure he knew better. Still, he had to give the guy points for trying.

“Thanks,” he said with a nod as he sat down, and pulled his glasses out of his jacket pocket. He gestured to the computer screen on Vecchio’s desk as he put them into the case. “So, you find anything on Mirello yet?”

Vecchio seemed relieved that Ray wasn’t making a show of the gift, and Ray was pleased with himself for playing it right.

********

Ray started bringing two thermoses of coffee on the late-night stakeouts, because, really he did understand that not everyone liked theirs as sweet (or chocolate-thick) as he did. And sometimes, if his mom had been by and overloaded his refrigerator, he’d bring food – pierogies, or faworkis if she’d been indulging his sweet tooth. If she hadn’t been by he might bring an extra sandwich and some of the pickles from the deli by his apartment. If Vecchio thought it anything other than buddies that Ray knew just what kind of mustard he preferred, he never mentioned it.

********

Vecchio had gotten his wallet out to pay for their fancy coffees, which Ray protested were a crazy waste of money but secretly loved, and was sifting through it when something made Vecchio chuckle.

“What?” Ray asked, since pre-coffee Ray was a to-the-point kind of guy.

Vecchio gave him an appraising look, then nodded to himself like he’d come to some sort of decision. “Forgot I had this picture is all,” he replied, handing it over for Ray to see.

It was a good thing Ray didn’t have his coffee yet, as he would either have spilled it or done an honest to God spit-take at the sight of Vecchio with his arm around Fraser. Fraser in drag, to be more specific, smiling at the camera like the blue dress and red wig he had on was as normal for him as his serge and Stetson.

Vecchio laughed at the look on Ray’s face and took the picture back, carefully tucking it in his wallet. “It was an off-the-record case – I don’t think the Lieu even knows the full story. Fraser never said anything?”

Ray just shook his head, and Vecchio smiled, reaching for their coffees. “Come on, I’ll tell you all about it on the way in.”

********

As it turned out, hanging out with Vecchio was a pretty good thing. He played a mean game of pool (though he stood no chance against Ray at darts, as long as Ray wore his glasses, of course). And while his taste in baseball teams left something to be desired, he knew all the best locally-owned, hole-in-the-wall places to eat in the city. Ray had a knack for finding clubs with good music. Plus, while Ray’s apartment might not be the neatest place on the planet, it did have a big TV, and he’d even splurged for cable when he’d gotten back from the Adventure. It wasn’t fancy, but aside from the suits he wore, Vecchio didn’t seem to mind simple. Maybe it was a nice change after Vegas; Ray got that, he really did. Whatever the reason, he didn’t seem to mind spending an evening at Ray’s, sharing a deep dish pizza and watching the tube.

********

Ray knew the importance of anniversaries, both good ones and bad. He’d celebrated them with Stella, then mourned their loss. He wasn’t sure how Vecchio felt about them (because really, neither of them ever talked about them), but figured he’d be cool with Ray remembering it had been one year since they’d been assigned as partners. He might rag him a little, but more likely he’d shake his head and smile that small, pleased smile Ray really liked seeing.

A card would be totally dorky, and so would anything remotely resembling a real present. But dinner he could swing, take-out from the Chinese place near Ray’s with the great pot stickers and killer General Tso’s. Real deal kind of spicy, not the barely–there hot that most places used.

So Ray invited Vecchio over like it was no big deal (which really, it wasn’t, right?), and Ray ordered the food while they were finishing up the day’s paperwork. If he straightened the place up a little more than usual, well, it was kind of a special occasion.

Dinner was good, and they traded stories about their rookie years, and then Vecchio started to help Ray clear the dinner plates away.

Ray started closing up the cartons and putting them in the fridge. “So, you know, it’s been a year. I’m pretty sure we lost a lot of people a lot of money, lasting this long.” He stopped working to look up at Vecchio with a soft smile. “But it’s been good, so thanks.” He went to open the drawer to get plastic wrap, only to have Vecchio hold it out to him.

Ray tried to take it, but Vecchio pulled the box toward himself, slow and easy. He moved Ray into his space, giving him ample time to move away before kissing him softly. Ray kissed him back, like it was something they did every day, and felt some unnamable thing shift into place.

So when Vecchio pulled back, Ray smiled at him like all was right with the world. Because really, it was.


End file.
